Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Playground ‘not fit for purpose’
A playground has been closed over safety fears following complaints by parents after a child was hurt.
The parish council has locked up the site in Beech Avenue, Chartham, and put up a sign saying the surface is being repaired.
It follows numerous protests by mums and dads who say the new matting is not fit for purpose and could injure someone. Writing on the Chartham Village Noticeboard Facebook page, mum Kerry Johnson said she was very disappointed with the work carried out recently in the park.
She said: “I can only assume it’s been completed by people without children. The new mats have been cable tied together and cut leaving sharp edges. It’s uneven. Children can pull out little circles with sticks on the end. My son tripped over and has badly hurt his leg. Should it even be open?”
Simon Green said: “We thought the correct surface has been stolen! It’s sub-standard. I would be really embarrassed if I had done this job. Even bark might be better that cheap rubber.”
Writing on the St Augustine’s Residents Facebook page, Dick Robson called it “a total botch” and urged the council to put it right while it was needed by families during the school holidays.
The complaints have led to a Facebook spat between parish council chairman Carol Manning and some residents who have been critical of the council.
She has apologised for the park not being locked while the work was being done but blamed par- ents for removing warning signs. In a lengthy response posted last week, Ms Manning said: “We have tried on four occasions to close the site but inconsiderate parents have taken down the signs erected by the contractors, placing children in danger. This is totally out of order. Further signs will now be erected and the gates locked. Hopefully these will be respected.”
But Ms Manning later told the Gazette that she was aware some parents were still ignoring the sign and locked gates and lifting their children over the fence.
She insisted the matting was adequate and used at other plays areas and said an urgent meeting with the contractors would take place this week to get the job finished as soon as possible.
She said: “The parish council has to abide by regulations with play equipment and all have been signed-off by ROSPA inspectors. All our play areas are checked on a regular basis.”
She said the parish had to find an additional £16,000 to fence the play areas and can only claim a maximum of £2,338 a year for the maintenance of each one.